17/10/11
I hope you're all enjoying this beautiful spring weather and having loads of fun these holidays. I'm looking forward to Term 4, beginning with preparation for the Whakarongo School Agricultural Day, I'm aware that some of you have begun already- raising lambs and cultivating vegetables. This term discovery time will be back for classes in the Ruahine Team, this time on Friday morning. We are also scheduling in to our timetable some "education outside of the classroom" activities, this will include things such as bush study, traditional games and I will be cultivating a vegetable garden-hoping that our potatoes might be ready for Christmas! In maths first up in the term we will be studying geometry and many children will be bringing home reading books from a new level. Please read with your child- anything and everything. Talking with them about what they have read is also very important-aiding comprehension and making links to their own lives and experiences enriches the reading experience.
Enjoy the next week of holidays and I look forward to hearing about all the interesting things you have been doing when I see you next week.
Ka kite
Jo McKinnon
26/9/11
Just two weeks to go until the end of term 3! It's been a fantastic term- very diverse yet great progress has been made by Room 3 students, with consolidation and expansion of their learning / skills and learning habits.The production was fantastic- what a bunch of stars! I'll be posting some photos shortly!
In the next two weeks we will be continuing with PMP, Korf Ball, Religious Education and wrapping up our Inquiry Topic- Kapai the Kiwi. Testing of numeracy and reading progress will be carried out during the next two weeks, results will be passed on to families early next term in the student profiles. Information gathered from these, will inform planning for our future classroom programme.
As always, I welcome contact, feedback, questions from my students and their families. If your conference with me was postponed, please contact me to arrange an alternative meeting time.
Kind Regards
Jo McKinnon
Term 3
Welcome back to term 3 in Room 3 at Whakarongo School!
This is an exciting term - with consolidation of learning habits resulting in an efficient and dynamic learning environment. We are continuing our Inquiry Topic, where we learn about New Zealand through our travels with Kapai the Kiwi .We have the life education truck visiting, where we learn about how our bodies breathe as well as the mobile dental truck being on site for the next few weeks.
Our class has joined with room 2 to work on our dance for the School Production which, as you know, will be at the Regent Theatre later in the term. So put on your dancing shoes download the Beach Boys singing "Surfing USA" and be prepared to throw some shapes, practicing the moves with your child !
PMP is proving to be a very popular part of our programme, made possible by the super effort by a number of dedicated parents and grandparents-thank you. Mr. Signal made most of the equipment that we use- he was delighted (and a little embarrased ) to be presented with a booklet of the children's writing in his honour.
Beginning week 3 the children will be bringing home a maths worksheet to complete during the week and to be bought back on Fridays. The purpose of this is PRACTICE- to support the children's learning of their basic facts. As always, please contact me if you have any comments or queries.
Looking forward to lots of fun in learning.
Ka kite
Jo McKinnon
15/6/11
We've just enjoyed an exhilirating Tiki Tour around New Zealand as an introduction to our new inquiry topic. The children are enjoying playing in our optimist yacht that is bobbing about in the Waitemata Harbour at the back of our classroom at present, with plenty more discovery and learning on their horizons. Kapai the Kiwi is proving to be a most adventourous travelling companion...can't wait to see what lies in store for us around the corner...
Term 2
Welcome to Room 3's Wiki. Hope you had a great break.
This term we continue with our inquiry topic "From Gate To Plate." We'll keep learning about food and processes for the next six weeks or so.
Our Art Unit this term is Collage and Construction. If you think you have any items that may be of use: shoe boxes, seed pods, CD cases, wool, corrugated card board, cotton reels, plastic cord, socks (for sock puppets), wood shavings, plastic eyes, egg cartons, bottle tops, corks, cardboard tubing, laundry detergent boxes, pipe cleaners and anything else, please send them with your child, or drop them off before or after school.
Looking forward to a bright and happy term.
Jo Mckinnon
Term 1
Introducing the awesome Room 3 Whakarongo Kids. This term we're learning about being great collaborators. Please enjoy our Wiki and come in and visit us sometime.
Here are some photos from our inquiry hook-in day. Our inquiry topic is "From Gate to Plate". We are looking at the journey our food takes. We went on a bus trip to the Edible Gardens. Sarah showed us seeds, seedlings and plants. We could clearly see where our fruit and veges come from.
Here we go on the bus trip to Makino
Having a picnic lunch before racing begins at Makino Pool.
17/10/11
I hope you're all enjoying this beautiful spring weather and having loads of fun these holidays. I'm looking forward to Term 4, beginning with preparation for the Whakarongo School Agricultural Day, I'm aware that some of you have begun already- raising lambs and cultivating vegetables. This term discovery time will be back for classes in the Ruahine Team, this time on Friday morning. We are also scheduling in to our timetable some "education outside of the classroom" activities, this will include things such as bush study, traditional games and I will be cultivating a vegetable garden-hoping that our potatoes might be ready for Christmas! In maths first up in the term we will be studying geometry and many children will be bringing home reading books from a new level. Please read with your child- anything and everything. Talking with them about what they have read is also very important-aiding comprehension and making links to their own lives and experiences enriches the reading experience.
Enjoy the next week of holidays and I look forward to hearing about all the interesting things you have been doing when I see you next week.
Ka kite
Jo McKinnon
26/9/11
Just two weeks to go until the end of term 3! It's been a fantastic term- very diverse yet great progress has been made by Room 3 students, with consolidation and expansion of their learning / skills and learning habits.The production was fantastic- what a bunch of stars! I'll be posting some photos shortly!
In the next two weeks we will be continuing with PMP, Korf Ball, Religious Education and wrapping up our Inquiry Topic- Kapai the Kiwi. Testing of numeracy and reading progress will be carried out during the next two weeks, results will be passed on to families early next term in the student profiles. Information gathered from these, will inform planning for our future classroom programme.
As always, I welcome contact, feedback, questions from my students and their families. If your conference with me was postponed, please contact me to arrange an alternative meeting time.
Kind Regards
Jo McKinnon
Term 3
Welcome back to term 3 in Room 3 at Whakarongo School!This is an exciting term - with consolidation of learning habits resulting in an efficient and dynamic learning environment. We are continuing our Inquiry Topic, where we learn about New Zealand through our travels with Kapai the Kiwi .We have the life education truck visiting, where we learn about how our bodies breathe as well as the mobile dental truck being on site for the next few weeks.
Our class has joined with room 2 to work on our dance for the School Production which, as you know, will be at the Regent Theatre later in the term. So put on your dancing shoes download the Beach Boys singing "Surfing USA" and be prepared to throw some shapes, practicing the moves with your child !
PMP is proving to be a very popular part of our programme, made possible by the super effort by a number of dedicated parents and grandparents-thank you. Mr. Signal made most of the equipment that we use- he was delighted (and a little embarrased ) to be presented with a booklet of the children's writing in his honour.
Beginning week 3 the children will be bringing home a maths worksheet to complete during the week and to be bought back on Fridays. The purpose of this is PRACTICE- to support the children's learning of their basic facts. As always, please contact me if you have any comments or queries.
Looking forward to lots of fun in learning.
Ka kite
Jo McKinnon
15/6/11
We've just enjoyed an exhilirating Tiki Tour around New Zealand as an introduction to our new inquiry topic. The children are enjoying playing in our optimist yacht that is bobbing about in the Waitemata Harbour at the back of our classroom at present, with plenty more discovery and learning on their horizons. Kapai the Kiwi is proving to be a most adventourous travelling companion...can't wait to see what lies in store for us around the corner...
Term 2
Welcome to Room 3's Wiki. Hope you had a great break.This term we continue with our inquiry topic "From Gate To Plate." We'll keep learning about food and processes for the next six weeks or so.
Our Art Unit this term is Collage and Construction. If you think you have any items that may be of use: shoe boxes, seed pods, CD cases, wool, corrugated card board, cotton reels, plastic cord, socks (for sock puppets), wood shavings, plastic eyes, egg cartons, bottle tops, corks, cardboard tubing, laundry detergent boxes, pipe cleaners and anything else, please send them with your child, or drop them off before or after school.
Looking forward to a bright and happy term.
Jo Mckinnon
Term 1
Introducing the awesome Room 3 Whakarongo Kids. This term we're learning about being great collaborators. Please enjoy our Wiki and come in and visit us sometime.
Here we go on the bus trip to Makino
Having a picnic lunch before racing begins at Makino Pool.